Dispensing applicator adjustment means

ABSTRACT

The invention is for an applicator, such as a glue applicator, which is adapted to place a line or bead of adhesive or the like against a workpiece. There are adjustment means to vary the application height of the line of bead. The adjustment means comprise an adjustable extension bearing in the form of the screw and a screw-receiving portion so that when the screw is screwed into the screw-receiving portion to different depth there will be a corresponding adjustment of the portion of the line of bead of adhesive as applied.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Robert C. Ward Bay Shore, N.Y. [21} Appl. No. 855,128 [22] Filed Sept. 4, 1969 [45] Patented June 29, 1971 [73] Assignee Commercial Affiliates, Inc.

New York, N .Y.

[54] DISPENSING APPLICATOR ADJUSTMENT MEANS 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. [52] [1.8. CI 401/48, 401/183, 401/193. 401/266 511 1nt.Cl ..B43m11/06 [50] Field ofSearch 401/9, 10, j 48, 183, 193, 131, 261, 262,265,266; 222/14, 193; 145/42 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,568,347 1/1926 Shaw 401/48 ABSTRACT: The invention is for an applicator, such as a glue applicator, which is adapted to place a line or head of adhesive or the like against a workpiece. There are adjustment means to vary the application height of the line of bead. The adjustment means comprise an adjustable extension bearing in the form of the screw and a screw-receiving portion so that when the screw is screwed into the screw-receiving portion to different depth there will be a corresponding adjustment of the portion of the line of bead of adhesive as applied.

PATENTEUJUNZQIHYI 3,589,820

INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. WARD A TTORNEX DISPENSING APPLICATOR ADJUSTMENT MEANS This invention relates to liquid-dispensing devices and in particular dispensing devices for viscous liquids, such as glues or adhesives. The dispenser has a body portion which includes a reservoir for the adhesive and a dispensing closure cap which has an adhesive exit port and adjustment means to vary the distance of the adhesive closure port from a bearing surface either on the workpiece to which the adhesive is to be applied or physically related to the workpiece so that when the adjustment means, which comprises an extension screw, is lengthened the bead will be relatively higher and when the ad justment means is shortened the bead will be relatively lower. The adjustment means in the form of a screw is lengthened and shortened by twisting the screw out ofand into the screw receiving means of the device.'Thc screw is provided with a blind head so that no obstruction, such as a screwdriver slot,

will catch onto the bearing surface. It is therefore an ohjcct gof this invention to provide a liquid-dispensing means havin a novel type of adjusting means comprising a screw such n self-threading screw adapted to be received into a screi receiving portion adapted to hold the screw in a desired selected position. It is a furtherobject of this invention to priovide the screw of such adjustment means with a blind head for smooth operation. It is a further object of this invention to provide the dispensing applicator used with the adju'stirig means with a squeeze plastic construction to aid in extruding the contents. Further objects and advantages will appear in the specification herein below. The device of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. I is a side elevation in exploded relationship with part cut away and part in section.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing ca lG. 3 is an enlarged detail in side elevation with part cut away and part in section and FIG. 4 is another side elevation somewhat reduced in size showing the device in use against the bearing surface and applying adhesive at the desired level on a workpiece. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The device of the invention has been designed to be used principally in placing ahead or line of adhesive on an edge of a workpiece which is adapted to be secured or glued in edgeabutting relationship to another workpiece. Such a workpiece might be a carpet such as carpet 14 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 having a sponge base 16 and a pile 18. In gluing such sections of carpet 14 together it is desirable to place a bead of glue at or near the boundary line 17 between the sponge base 16 and the pile 18. It is understood that where the height of the sponge base may vary the placing of the glue or adhesive line would also vary accordingly making it desirable to have an aptplicatol' which is adjustable in this respect. The device has n main body portion which comprises a reservoir at 20 anda dispensing closure cap 22 which may be connected to the reservoir 20 by means of threads 24 and 26 respectively. The cap 22 has a cone-shaped portion 28 which includes a block, or screw-receiving portion 30. The screw-receiving portion 30 has an interior recess having a smooth continuous wall 32. The cone-shaped portion 28 comes to an outer. end at reference numeral 34. There is an exit port near the outer end 34 and lateral to the positioning of the screw block 30. 1

There is also a screw 36 having a blind head 38 and threads fitted into the inner wall 32 of the screw block 30. When the screw 36 is fitted in position its axis will point in the same direction as the outer end 34 and the exit port 35 will be positioned laterally to the screw 36. The axis of the screw 36 will be perpendicular to a plane passing through the exit port 35.

l have found that a screw having self-tapping threads such as threads 40 having an outer thread diameter relatively larger to the diameter wall 32 may be moved in and out of screw block 30 and will maintain its position at any desired depth within the screw block. The screw 36 may be moved in by tapping the blind head 38 with a hammer or mallet as the tapping action will cause the self-tapping threads 40 to move and rotate to push the screw deeper in the block 30 until it is all the way in as shown in FIG. 1. The screw may be pulled out to extend its head 38 beyond outer end 34 with a screwdriver, a knife blade or other instrument which can be inserted under the head 38 to pull or unthread the screw for a certain distance decreasing its depth in the block 30. This extends the length of the screw comprising the adjustment means so that when theblind head 38 is placed against a bearing surface such as a floor 42 the exit port 35 and the bead of adhesive 44 will be raised with relation to the bearing surface or floor 42. If it is desired to lower the bead 44 the screw 36 may be tapped into the block 3t) for the desired distance thereby decreasing the distance between exit port 35 and end of blind head 38. Thus the adjustment means of the device can be varied by alternately tapping the screw 36 in or pulling it out to a more outer position with relation to the depth of the block 30.

'I'he bead 44 may remain as a line of bead or, depending on the viscosity of the adhesive or liquid it may be spread downwardly by means of force of gravity as shown in FIG. 4. I may also provide a cap 46 to complete the closure of the device when it is not in use, fitting the closure cap 46 onto the dispensing cap 22 of the device by means of a lip fitting over an annular bead 50.

It is understood that the applicator may be adjusted to various heights by the means described hereinabove and it may be used to apply a line of bead or adhesive to workpieces of different types and that the use of plastic in the construction of the device makes it adaptable to squeeze the plastic to extrude the adhesive, especially when the adhesive is extremely viscous in nature. it has also been found that the use of a plastic material in the construction of a screw block 30 and its wall 32 is highly desirable as this permits the continued adjustment of the screw 36 of the device to selected positions yet holding the screw securely in one of such selected positionsl have described the device hereinabove in its preferred for and it is to be protected as set forth in the claims below.

wherefore I claim:

l. A dispensing applicator, for liquids such as adhesives, having a main body portion including a reservoir for liquids, in combination with a liquid-dispensing portion comprising an exit port through which liquids may be extruded along a line against a workpiece, including adjustable means for said dispensing portion adapted to bear against a bearing surface on, or relative to, said workpiece, comprising a screw-receiving portion and a blind-headed screw having a threaded portion adapted to be selectively positioned at "various depths within said receiving portion.

2. A dispensing applicator as defined in claim 1 for dispensing adhesives in which said receiving portion is made ofa plastic material.

3. A dispensing applicator as defined in claim 2 in which the blind-headed screw including the threaded portion is a selftapping screw. I

4. An adhesive dispenser as defined in claim 3 in which the exit port is located laterally to the axis of the threaded portion of the blind-headed screw, said screw axis being perpendicular to a plane passing through said port.

5. The dispensing applicator as defined in claim 4 in which at least the reservoir portion is. made of a squeezable plastic material.

6. The dispensing applicator as defined in claim 5 in which the dispensing portion is a closure portion separable from the reservoir portion and in which the dispensing closure portion includes a closure cap adapted to fit over the exit port.

7. Adjustment means for aliquid-dispensing device having a dispensing exit port, said adjustment means comprising a screw-receiving portion and a self-tapping screw adapted tobe selectively positioned at various depths of said receiving portion.

8. The adjustment means as defined in claim 7 in which the screw-receiving portion is made of a plastic material. 

1. A dispensing applicator, for liquids such as adhesives, having a main body portion including a reservoir for liquids, in combination with a liquid-dispensing portion comprising an exit port through which liquids may be extruded along a line against a workpiece, including adjustable means for said dispensing portion adapted to bear against a bearing surface on, or relative to, said workpiece, comprising a screw-receiving portion and a blindheaded scRew having a threaded portion adapted to be selectively positioned at various depths within said receiving portion.
 2. A dispensing applicator as defined in claim 1 for dispensing adhesives in which said receiving portion is made of a plastic material.
 3. A dispensing applicator as defined in claim 2 in which the blind-headed screw including the threaded portion is a self-tapping screw.
 4. An adhesive dispenser as defined in claim 3 in which the exit port is located laterally to the axis of the threaded portion of the blind-headed screw, said screw axis being perpendicular to a plane passing through said port.
 5. The dispensing applicator as defined in claim 4 in which at least the reservoir portion is made of a squeezable plastic material.
 6. The dispensing applicator as defined in claim 5 in which the dispensing portion is a closure portion separable from the reservoir portion and in which the dispensing closure portion includes a closure cap adapted to fit over the exit port.
 7. Adjustment means for a liquid-dispensing device having a dispensing exit port, said adjustment means comprising a screw-receiving portion and a self-tapping screw adapted to be selectively positioned at various depths of said receiving portion.
 8. The adjustment means as defined in claim 7 in which the screw-receiving portion is made of a plastic material. 